The rantings, musings, poems, and arguments of a dude who was a drywall salesman and is now a pastor. Journey from 2004-2010.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Fellow Blogger: Naked Pastor and Going Boxless

What would you get if you combined a pastor and an artist? You'd get David Hayward of the blog THE NAKED PASTOR. I love how he describes himself in his ABOUT ME section: I confuse people because sometimes I seem conservative, sometimes liberal; sometimes serious, sometimes foolish; sometimes evangelical, sometimes heretical; sometimes open-minded, sometimes stubborn; sometimes creative, sometimes destructive. I don’t know. This blog is meant to be an expression of myself. I guess it’s up to you to figure me out, because I’ve given up a long time ago. What am I passionate about?: How to allow people to be entirely free and to gather in complete liberty without any coercion, manipulation or control; how to provide a safe place for the completely wild, untamable and radical to gather voluntarily and freely; to nurture a radically free place for the radically free to live and thrive.

I really enjoy his cartoons. My favorite is Bible Man who comes from another world, another age, inerrant King James Version in a 100% genuine bonded-leather shell. He means business. Do not cross him. Do not transform him.

There is a lot to be said about not adhereing to one particular theology or philosophy. The ability to change and adjust and adapt is what i find most intriguing about the human animal. People do this all the time in their actions, but lay claim to one absolute answer. What do we call people whose actions don't match their words? People who actually note that they change their mind are more truthful to their actions. That's what i admire about David and his blog.

That is my thought process. Try to be open to transformation, from scripture, from God, from those around me. For example this is what has to happen whenever your lifestyle runs up against the grain of Scripture–one of of the two has to move. Something has to change, and it will either be our behavior, or it will be our belief. More often that not, it is my belief that is forced to adapt to my behavior. I constantly go on and on about something until it is pointed out to me that my words don't match my behavior... thanks to Kate, Rialb, Steve, Sally whoever! That's partially why i have this blog to make sure my words match my actions. For me it's all about going BOXLESS.

going boxless is much harder way of doing it... some ppl NEED the boxes.. like in the matrix. we SHOULD pull everyone out, but some will violently fight to stay in the dream world. i think that once exposed to critical thinking most ppl will find it impossible to turn off their minds. some can, but most won't or won't be able to and will deliberately mess with the results... in other words: humans are freaking weird. :-) they're complicated and controlling capable of great good and evil... what a bunch of funny primates we are!

but ultimately we fit in NO box completely as there are always exceptions. some respond to this by cutting off those limbs that stick outside the box.. or lying.. or making concessions.. or doing what you and i have done and realizing that there is no box. the box is constructed by us for us to keep us safe from the CHAOS of the natural world. those of us to see order in the natural world are less in need of boxes.

see things for what they are but realize that you can only see these things from your perspective and cultural context (affectly making the first statement moot) but it is in this paradox we must live. sometimes i like boxes.. i wear new balance shoes, listen to punk and alternative music, and read progressive stuff.. i like ppl who also do this and can't stand "christian" music and authors like Joel Osteen and believe those who read and listen to this crap are not entitled to their own opinion. that's just me though.. others have different boxes.

That's what being a naked person is all about... that's what being a Naked Pastor is all about.. going boxless and responding to the context with the right frame to help each other out.

5 comments:

As a pastor who's 100% on board with the UCC's social message but wishes for a more 17th century New England worship style, I can relate. The church only looks silly when it tries to mimic the latest fads. The UCC often leads the way on social issues. We shouldn't trivialize our worship with last year's silliness.

I enjoy NP's blog also - he is also another fellow Canadian - we just have a radical bunch up here in the North - must be that clear water we drink (lol).

The key to goig boxless is not about taking a stand on issues - we must do that according to our convictions - but it's about being open to new perspectives that might be revealed or taught. That way you do not 'box yourself in' - and you ask the questions and ponder them...in depth.

There are no easy answers in this faith concerning God - and those accept there is easy one's - haven't done much studying on the issue.

That's my biggest qualm this side of earth - when people believe they either 'speak for God' or 'have it all figured out'. Anyone with common sense will be able to figue out the flaw in those statements when seen portrayed in reality.

Linear dog: I couldn't agree with you more. Going Boxless is exactly what you and I have been doing most of the 1st semester and the majority of the 2nd. Even though we have tried very hard I believe we both have found times that we have regressed to former ways of thinking. This is what I beleive you refer to when speaking about the difference in what you say and the way you behave and our impact on you in pointing that out. Fortunately, we have been able to call each other out when either one of us begin to construct or go back into one of our boxes. What do others do? Should we be an instrument to help others get out of their boxes? Is that what your blog actually does? This is totally awesome. Thanks!

LD: "What do others do? Should we be an instrument to help others get out of their boxes? Is that what your blog actually does? "

yeah. Sally called me out that i don't like christian music... kate mentioned it too.. i guess i should have written that i don't normally like it but am trying to approach it with an openmind.

SVS: "That way you do not 'box yourself in' - and you ask the questions and ponder them...in depth. "

no doubt! i was having a conversation with a dude on another blog about terrorism and what causes it, saying that we don't have stuff figured out. far from it. but it's the seeking to find that is important. he wasn't buying it claiming that it's better to kill terrorists than to understand them. but if we don't get the at the cause of terrorism, how can we prevent it? know what i mean?

also people seem to want to put their faith in creeds and doctrines. those are good frameworks, but need to be recognized for what they are, frameworks we look through. they themselves are not the answer. it's like a hand pointing to the north star. the hand is not the anwer, nor is the north star a destination. both are guides and should be treated as such.